Matthew 25:1

Matthew 25:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
• New International Version (NIV)“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

Context of Matthew 25:1

Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be made like to ten virgins that having taken their torches, went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2And five of them were prudent and five foolish. 3They that were foolish took their torches and did not take oil with them;

Matthew 25:1 word by word

Τότε ὁμοιωθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν δέκα παρθένοις αἵτινες λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας ἑαυτῶν ἐξῆλθον εἰς ὑπάντησιν τοῦ νυμφίου.Read the interlinear

• Thenτότεtote · thenG5119
• kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
• heavensοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• likeὁμοιόωhomoioō · to likenG3666
• tenδέκαdeka · tenG1176
• virginsπαρθένοςparthenos · virginG3933
• takenλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• wentἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• meetὑπάντησιςhupantēsis · meetingG5222
• bridegroomνυμφίοςnumphios · bridegroomG3566

Cross-references for Matthew 25:1

• Matthew 24:42Watch therefore, for ye know not in what hour your Lord comes.
• Luke 21:34But take heed to yourselves lest possibly your hearts be laden with surfeiting and drinking and cares of life, and that day come upon you suddenly unawares;
• Matthew 3:2and saying, Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn nigh.
• Matthew 13:24Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of the heavens has become like a man sowing good seed in his field;
• Matthew 20:1For the kingdom of the heavens is like a householder who went out with the early morn to hire workmen for his vineyard.
• Matthew 22:2The kingdom of the heavens has become like a king who made a wedding feast for his son,
• Daniel 2:44And in the days of these kings shall the God of the heavens set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the sovereignty thereof shall not be left to another people: it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, but itself shall stand for ever.
• Psalms 45:14She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of embroidery; the virgins behind her, her companions, shall be brought in unto thee:
• 1 Corinthians 11:2Now I praise you, that in all things ye are mindful of me; and that as I have directed you, ye keep the directions.
• Revelation 14:4These are they who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins: these are they who follow the Lamb wheresoever it goes. These have been bought from men [as] first-fruits to God and to the Lamb:
• Matthew 5:16Let your light thus shine before men, so that they may see your upright works, and glorify your Father who is in the heavens.
• Luke 12:35Let your loins be girded about, and lamps burning;
• Philippians 2:15that ye may be harmless and simple, irreproachable children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation; among whom ye appear as lights in [the] world,
• 2 Timothy 4:8Henceforth the crown of righteousness is laid up for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will render to me in that day; but not only to me, but also to all who love his appearing.
• 2 Peter 1:13But I account it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting [you] in remembrance,
• 2 Peter 3:12waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, by reason of which [the] heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and [the] elements, burning with heat, shall melt?

Commentaries on Matthew 25:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Then shall the kingdom of heaven - The state of Jews and professing Christians - the state of the visible Church at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, and in the day of judgment: for the parable appears to relate to both those periods. And particularly at the time in which Christ shall come to judge the world, it shall appear what kind of reception his Gospel has met with. This parable, or something very like it, is found in the Jewish records: so…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Then shall the kingdom of heaven - See the notes at Matthew 3:2. The phrase here refers to his coming in the day of judgment. Shall be likened - Or shall resemble. The meaning is, “When the Son of man returns to judgment, it will be as it was in the case of ten virgins in a marriage ceremony.” The coming of Christ to receive his people to himself is often represented under the similitude of a marriage, the church being represented as his spouse or bride…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The parable of the ten virgins. (1-13) The parable of the talents. (14-30) The judgment. (31-46) Verses 1-13 The circumstances of the parable of the ten virgins were taken from the marriage customs among the Jews, and explain the great day of Christ's coming. See the nature of Christianity. As Christians we profess to attend upon Christ, to honour him, also to be waiting for his coming. Sincere Christians are the wise virgins, and hypocrites the foolish…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1to meet the bridegroom: This image points to the coming of the Messiah (see Mark 2:19–20). We do not know the exact wedding customs of that time. Some believe the bridesmaids led the bride to the bridegroom's home. He stayed away until the wedding feast began. The bridesmaids would wait for his arrival and then escort him to the feast (Matthew 25:10). Others think the bridegroom might have arrived late at night at the bride’s home, where they announced…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-13This and the following parable are in Matthew alone. 1. Then--at the time referred to at the close of the preceding chapter, the time of the Lord's Second Coming to reward His faithful servants and take vengeance on the faithless. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom--This supplies a key to the parable, whose object is, in the main, the same as that of the last…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 25:1

• Bridegroom
• Fool
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Judgment
• Kingdom of Heaven
• Marriage
• Opportunity
• Resurrection
• Unfaithfulness
• Virgin
• Wisdom
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Bride
• Cry
• Depart
• Hard
• Heaven
• Judgment, The final
• Lamp
• Ought
• Parable
• Reckon

Commentaries on Matthew 25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings